Clamping mechanism for planing-machines, boring-mills, and the like.



G. H. BENZON, J11. GLAMPING MECHANISM FOR PLANING MACHINES, BORINGMILLS, .AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1907.

904,922. Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A TTORNEYS.

G. H. BENZON, JR. GLAMPING MECHANISM FOR PLANING MACHINES, BORING MILLS,AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/ T/VESSES: //v VENTOR fwd 12:41 I g w i ATTORNEYS.

G. H. BENZON, JR. GLAMPING MECHANISM FOR. PLANING MACHINES, BORINGMILLS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1907.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3'.

IN VE N TOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. BENZON, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOWILLIAM SELLERS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,A COR- PORATION. OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed June 26, 1907. Serial No. 380,841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. BENZON, Jr., a citi zen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ClampingMechanism for Planing-Machines, Boring-Mills, and the Like, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for conveniently clampingto place the cross rails of metal planing machines and certain forms ofboring mills which are arranged so that they may be adjusted inpositions at various distances above the work table to suit the heightof each particular piece of work. After each change, it is necessary tosecurely clamp the cross rail in the new position so that it, may resistall the strains to which it may be subjected by the cut, and before eachmovement of the cross rail it is necessary to release the clampingpressure so that the cross rail may be readily adjusted. When numerousadjustments are required, and especially in large machines where theclamps are some distance apart, considerable labor and loss of time isinvolved in these operations.

It is the object of my invention to conduct these clamping operations byfluid pressure. It is, however, essential that the clamping shall bemaintained whether or not the fluid pressure varies or is lost, hence myinvention further consists in maintaining this clamp ing independent ofthe fluid pressure. It is essential further, that such clamping ar- Eacclamp must be independent of the others to the extent that it must becapable of accommodating itself to any inequality in the thickness ofthe portion to which the rangement shall have the following features. 1

various novel constructions for carrying this into efiect, constitute myinvention.

I will first describe the embodiments of my invention illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and then point out the invention in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of machine. Fig. 2 is a planview of cross rail and clamping appurtenances. Fig. 3 is a side view ofclamping mechanism partially in section. Fig. l is a partial side Viewshowing one form of eccentric clamping arrangement. Fig. 5 is aninverted rear viewof cross rail showing another form of eccentricclamping arrangement. Fig.6 is a plan view of same partially brokenaway. Fig. 7 is a front view of same, one end broken away.

a is the bed of the machine, I) is the table, 0 and d are the sidehousings. e, the cross rail mounted so as to move vertically upon theside housings 0 and d, and is elevated and de ressed by means of thescrews 7 cperated y the gears g and h, from a suitable source of power.The cross rail 6 carries one or more tool slides 2'. On the back of thecross rail 6 is the cast-ing j, which casting may be either an integralprojection from the back of the cross rail 0, or preferably, forconvenience in manufacture, it is a' separate piece securely bolted tothe cross rail. This casting supports two shafts is, each shaft inhaving a portion Z eccentric with the remainder of the shaft 70. On thiseccentric portion of each shaft is mounted a roller m.

n is a flange projecting from a housing 0 and d. Between each of therollers m and the back face of the flange n I insert a hearing block orshoe 0. When the eccentric rollers are turned in one osition, throughthe blocks 0, the cross rail is clamped to the. housing, and theclamping is maintained until the eccentric roller is turned or moved inthe opposite direction. There is an arrange: ment similar to this ateach end of the cross rail, and the cross rail is clamped at each sideor end above and below to its correspondin housing.

The b ocks 0 are held loosely in position by ins p which revent theblocks from falling out and at t e same time allow them freedom to slideeasily. On the end of one of the shafts is, opposite to the eccentricportion Z is secured a lever g, and on the corre- 'w is a pipe enteringthe cylinder 8 at point an, and 3 is a pipe entering the cylinder 8 atpoint .2. These pipes y and 'w,-by means of the valves 1 and 2respectively, may be connected either with the pipe 3 from pressuresupply or the pipe 4: to exhaust.

If the pipe y is arranged to be connected with pressure, and the pipe wwith exhaust, the piston will tend to be forced toward the bottom of thecylinder and the-cylinder toward the upper end of the piston. inder .9consists essentially of a main casting closed at one end and provided'atthe other end with a removable head 5 having a stuffing box and gland 6or other means for carrying a suitable packing around the piston a,which piston is provided with an enlarged end 7, and packing to fit thebore of the cylinder.

When the fluid pressure is admitted to the pipe y, as before described,the eflect is to shorten the distance between the ends of the connectingrods 2 and 'v so that the outer ends of the levers Q and 1' are movedtowards one another, thus rotating the eccentricsupon their axes. Theparts are so correlated, that this operation puts pressure upon theflanges at through the blocks 0 so as to draw the cross rail firmlyagainst the face of the upright. The friction of the parts will maintalnthis clamping until power is applied to release the ressure, even thoughthe fluid pressure which initially brought about this condition isremoved. I

In order to release the clamping, the pipe 3 is connected to theexhaust, and the pipe w to pressure supply. This forces the plstonoutward and increases the distance between the ends of the connectingrods t and '0, thus movingthe levers r and g away from one another,rotating, the eccentrics Z in the opposite direction, and thus releasingthe pressure on the rollers m and blocks 0 and freeing the flanges nfrom the clamping effeet. The travel of the cylinder in this directionis limited by the cylinder coming in contact with the arms which carrythe lever g. The movement of the piston 26 in this direction, is limitedby the stop 8 connected to the casting j which is struck by the lever r,the stop being placed at such position that this takes place when theeccentric Z has been rotated suficiently and the lever- 1* movessuficiently to release the pressure. This provides an arrangementwhereby there is positively 'nsured the proper movement of both thecylinder and piston for unclamping and raises. The construction of thecyl- The cyleoaeaa inder s and piston is such, as may be seen, that thepressure area or surfaces upon the piston and cylinder for unclamping,are greater than that for clamping. This is necessary in order toovercome friction and is an important feature of my invention.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, instead of clampinthe cross rail by the eccentric roller to a ange from the housings, theeccentric-roller m acts against the block 9, which with rods 10 form ayoke carried by the cross rail. This yoke is connected to the sleeve 12,having a tongue 11,

and resting and moving in the guide-way 13 in the housings c and d, theslot 14in said guide-way, being sufiiciently wide to allow the tongue 11to move longitudinally but is smaller than the head of the sleeve 12. When the eccentrics Z are operated, as before described, thecorresponding rollers m move the yokes clamping the sleeves 12 againstthe wall of the guide-way, and clamping the roller m against the end ofthe yoke, where it and the rod are'held clamped until the movement ofthe eccentrics Z, in the opposite direction, releases the rollers m androds 11. The stops 15 and 16 limit the movement of the levers g and 1'-in the direction to unclamp. I

In the embodiments of my invention herein specifically shown anddescribed, I have illustrated and described the wedging clamping deviceas an eccentric roller, but I do not intend to limit myself to thisspecific form or any particular form of wedge clamping device, exceptwhere, in the claims, the same is specifically claimed.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with thecross rail, of a wedging friction self-locking clamping mechanism forclamping the cross rail and fluid pressure means for operating the wedgeclamping mechanism into locked position, and means to exert fluidpressure, in the opposite direction, suflicient to unlock and releasesaid wedge clamping mechanism.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with thecross rail, of a wedging clamping member for clamping the cross rail andfluid pressure means for operating the wedge to clamp and release, theeffective pressure area to release being greater than that to clamp.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a crossrail, of self-locking clamping mechanism for clamping the cross rail,fluid pressure means for operatin the clamping mechanism to clamp, anduid pressure means of greater pressure for operating the clampingmechanism to release.

7 4. In amachine of the character described, the combination with thecross rail, of self-locking clamping mechanism for clamping the crossrail and fluid pressure means for operating the clamping mechanism toclamp and release the effective pressure area to release being greaterthan that to clamp. A

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with thecross rail and wedging clamping devices carried thereby, one adapted toclamp above, the other below, the center of said cross rail, of apressure device comprising a movable cyllnder and piston, operativeconnection between the piston and one clamping device, and between thecylinder and the other clamping device, and means to admit pressure onopposite operative faces of said piston and cylinder.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with thecross rail, wedging clamping devices carried thereby, one adapted toclamp at upper portion, the other at lower portion of said cross rail,of a pressure device comprising a movable cylinder and piston, operativeconnection between the piston and one clamping device and between thecylinder and the other clamping device and means to admit pressure onopposite operative faces of said piston and cylinder, the areas of thetwo faces of the piston and the two faces of the cylinder beingdifferent.

7. In a: machine of the character described, the combination with thecross rail, wedging clamping devices carried thereby, one adapted toclamp at upper portion, the other at lower portion of said cross rail,of a pressure device comprising a movable cylinder and piston, operativeconnection between the piston and one clamping device, and between thecylinder and the other clamping device, means to admit pressure onopposite operative faces of said piston and cylinder, and means to limitthe movement in one direction of the piston and cylinder.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, on this 21st day of June, 1907.

GEORGE H. BENZON, JR.

Witnesses:

M. M. HAMILTON, A. M. URIAN.

